


the tender act of brushing another's hair

by heget



Series: Band of the Red Hand [15]
Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Family, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:08:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28386768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heget/pseuds/heget
Summary: Gwindor and his niece have their family ritual.(A small work about small gestures)
Series: Band of the Red Hand [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/319556
Kudos: 5





	the tender act of brushing another's hair

Gwindor’s niece is so small when his brother holds her, her head fitting so snugly within his hand. Brown tufts of hair wisp across the crown of her head, already curling. The color matches Gelmir's hair, though the family is not certain if the shade will lighten to warm brown of Gwindor or darken to a near-black, or stay the same shade as her father.

Gwenniel is ten years old and imperiously demanding that her uncle braid her hair. Gwindor does his best with fingers since the little girl has no clue where any of the fine combs that her father has both bought and crafted for her might be. The fingers are not as thorough as the combs, but he muddles through the process and at least knows how to make braids.

Uncle and niece make a ritual out of styling each other’s hair. Gwenniel only makes simple single plaits for Gwindor, telling her kinsman that his more pleasing features are his eyes and chin - though as he has the Guilinion nose, that is also attractive. She would not label her own nose unsightly, after all. Gwindor, however, does his best to crown Gwenniel’s head with the most elaborate braids and hairdos, each more intricate than the last. He studies hairstyles to impress his niece later. He makes it a challenge and game, his dexterous fingers never pulling painfully at her scalp, and Gwenniel delights in these bonding sessions.

When Gwindor returns, marred by Angband, Gwenniel pulls out a well-worn comb and tends to her uncle’s hair, gently de-tangling what is left.


End file.
